Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) is a molecular chaperone that regulates protein homeostasis (proteostasis). It controls the balance of protein synthesis and folding degradation. Aberrant levels of Hsp70 activity are observed in diseases states, including cancer, bacterial and viral infection, neurodegeneration, and other diseases and disorders that involve cellular stress and protein misfolding. Therefore there is a need in the art for Hsp70 inhibitor compounds and their use to treat, inter alia, cancer, neurodegenerative and infectious diseases. The present invention addresses these and other problems in the art.